Grid operator says wind farm knew limitations

Comments made to governor after complaint

The head of the electric power grid that serves New England says Vermont's largest utility knew the limitations of its wind power project in Lowell and that it would be asked to keep electricity generated there from the grid from time to time.

ISO-New England President Gordon van Welie made the comments in a letter dated Tuesday to Gov. Peter Shumlin.

Last month Shumlin complained that ISO-New England required Green Mountain Power's Lowell Mountain wind project to reduce its output during last month's heat wave, forcing the utility to replace the renewable power with electricity from fossil fuel generators.

In his letter, van Welie said GMP had not completed installation of a piece of equipment that would have reduced the need to curtail power from Lowell Mountain.

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